PIAA basketball quarterfinal results Friday, March 16

GameTimePA searched through our archives to find the best high school basketball plays from around the YAIAA during the 2017-18 season.
Jim Seip, YDR

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York Catholic's Katy Rader drives against East Allegheny in the first half of a PIAA girls' basketball quarterfinal game Friday, March 16, 2018, at Bald Eagle. York Catholic's season ended with a 77-66 loss to East Allegheny.(Photo11: Chris Dunn, York Daily Record)Buy Photo

Girls' basketball

Class 3A

BELLEFONTE — Kevin Bankos has coached many memorable teams in his 12 years at the helm of York Catholic.

After all, 10 of his squads have won District 3 titles with two of them claiming state championships. Those teams were filled with standout players that gave Bankos countless good memories.

This year's York Catholic squad doesn't look like Irish teams of the past on paper. It finished with a 15-14 record after a 77-66 loss to East Allegheny (27-1) in the PIAA Class 3A quarterfinals at Bald Eagle Area High School Friday.

But for Bankos, this group ranks right up there with any he's coached.

"This is a group that's going to be top five in memories for me," Bankos said after Friday's loss. "Nobody expected them to be here. Nobody expected them to accomplish what they accomplished with the adversity they faced."

York Catholic played the entire season without Division I St. Francis College in Brooklyn commit Kate Bauhof, a GameTimePA YAIAA first-team all-star the past two seasons. But even without their top threat, the Irish steadily got better as the season went along.

The Irish reached the program's 13th consecutive District 3 title game and won two state playoff games. But they couldn't stop one of the state's best guards on Friday.

East Allegheny senior Amani Johnson put on a stunning performance at Bald Eagle, scoring 47 points along with five rebounds and four assists. Amazingly, she missed six of her first seven shots and still went into halftime with 14 points.

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York Catholic's Abby Pilkey eyes the basket against East Allegheny in the first half of a PIAA girls' basketball quarterfinal game Friday, March 16, 2018, at Bald Eagle. York Catholic's season ended with a 77-66 loss to East Allegheny. Chris Dunn, York Daily Record

York Catholic's Gina Citrone drives against East Allegheny in the first half of a PIAA girls' basketball quarterfinal game Friday, March 16, 2018, at Bald Eagle. York Catholic's season ended with a 77-66 loss to East Allegheny. Chris Dunn, York Daily Record

York Catholic's Katy Rader passes against East Allegheny in the first half of a PIAA girls' basketball quarterfinal game Friday, March 16, 2018, at Bald Eagle. York Catholic's season ended with a 77-66 loss to East Allegheny. Chris Dunn, York Daily Record

York Catholic's Catherine Tillotson shoots for three against East Allegheny in the first half of a PIAA girls' basketball quarterfinal game Friday, March 16, 2018, at Bald Eagle. York Catholic's season ended with a 77-66 loss to East Allegheny. Chris Dunn, York Daily Record

York Catholic's Katy Rader drives against East Allegheny in the first half of a PIAA girls' basketball quarterfinal game Friday, March 16, 2018, at Bald Eagle. York Catholic's season ended with a 77-66 loss to East Allegheny. Chris Dunn, York Daily Record

York Catholic's Abby Pilkey shoots against East Allegheny in the first half of a PIAA girls' basketball quarterfinal game Friday, March 16, 2018, at Bald Eagle. York Catholic's season ended with a 77-66 loss to East Allegheny. Chris Dunn, York Daily Record

York Catholic's Jania Wright shoots against East Allegheny in the first half of a PIAA girls' basketball quarterfinal game Friday, March 16, 2018, at Bald Eagle. York Catholic's season ended with a 77-66 loss to East Allegheny. Chris Dunn, York Daily Record

York Catholic's Katy Rader drives against East Allegheny in the second half of a PIAA girls' basketball quarterfinal game Friday, March 16, 2018, at Bald Eagle. York Catholic's season ended with a 77-66 loss to East Allegheny. Chris Dunn, York Daily Record

York Catholic's Jania Wright passes against East Allegheny in the second half of a PIAA girls' basketball quarterfinal game Friday, March 16, 2018, at Bald Eagle. York Catholic's season ended with a 77-66 loss to East Allegheny. Chris Dunn, York Daily Record

York Catholic's Katy Rader gets the rebound against East Allegheny in the second half of a PIAA girls' basketball quarterfinal game Friday, March 16, 2018, at Bald Eagle. York Catholic's season ended with a 77-66 loss to East Allegheny. Chris Dunn, York Daily Record

York Catholic's Abby Pilkey shoots against East Allegheny's Amani Johnson in the second half of a PIAA girls' basketball quarterfinal game Friday, March 16, 2018, at Bald Eagle. York Catholic's season ended with a 77-66 loss to East Allegheny. Chris Dunn, York Daily Record

York Catholic's Sam Bulk loses possession against East Allegheny's Myla Bortoluzzi in the second half of a PIAA girls' basketball quarterfinal game Friday, March 16, 2018, at Bald Eagle. York Catholic's season ended with a 77-66 loss to East Allegheny. Chris Dunn, York Daily Record

York Catholic's Catherine Tillotson shoots against East Allegheny in the second half of a PIAA girls' basketball quarterfinal game Friday, March 16, 2018, at Bald Eagle. York Catholic's season ended with a 77-66 loss to East Allegheny. Chris Dunn, York Daily Record

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But it was in the third quarter that Johnson really came alive. Even with York Catholic continuously double-teaming her, the Division I Kennesaw State commit scored 24 points in the period.

"She's the best guard we've seen all year. You don't see girls that handle the ball like that all the time," Bankos said. "We were running two girls at her and she just went by us or between us. She sees the floor well, she finishes well, she has a step-back 3, a pull-up jumper. I'm not sure I'm smart enough to stop that."

Added York Catholic senior Abby Pilkey: "We all knew we couldn't stop her. I just wanted to ask her how she got that good."

Johnson wasn't the only player to get off to a slow start, as York Catholic missed its first nine shots and fell behind 9-0 early. While the Irish rallied to tie the score, 15-15, midway through the second quarter, East Allegheny went on a 11-0 run and eventually went into the half up 14.

With Johnson dominating throughout the second half, York Catholic was never able to get the deficit into single digits.

Pilkey finished with 24 points and six rebounds in her final career game. The West Chester volleyball commit said her strong performance down the stretch this season was fueled by the knowledge she wouldn't be playing basketball in college.

"I think her self-confidence went up as we played and I think she realized, 'I can be that player' that we all knew she could be," Bankos said. "She just decided to be it herself, and somewhere in January she decided to show everybody else."

The Irish will also graduate starters Catherine Tillotson and Teslyn Sterner and standout sixth man Jania Wright. The team will bring back juniors Gina Citrone and Katy Rader, who had a terrific game Friday with 20 points and 10 rebounds.

"We did a lot better than what people thought we were going to do, even at times what we thought we were going to do," Pilkey said. "It was really big for us to go this far. There's no regrets with this season." — Matt Allibone

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"This is a group that's going to be top five in memories for me," head coach Kevin Bankos said. "Nobody expected them to be here. Nobody expected them to accomplish what they accomplished with the adversity they faced."
Chris Dunn, York Daily Record

Northeastern has four senior starters. The group of Nate Eyster, D.J. Hamilton, Fred Mulbah and Antonio Rizzuto first met around the third grade. Back together this season they have Northeastern off to an unbeaten start to the 2017-18 season.
Jim Seip, YDR

Boys' basketball

Class 5A

POTTSVILLE — It was evident when Northeastern's senior players exited the court. It was evident when the seniors hugged each other and then embraced each of their teammates on the bench.

This was a special bunch, perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime group of kids from Northeastern High School.

But perhaps nothing brought home the finality of it like seeing coach Jon Eyster outside the locker room just moments after Abington Heights put on a shooting display for the ages in a 76-56 victory against Northeastern (28-4) in a PIAA Class 5A quarterfinal at Martz Hall.

For most teams, a season-ending coach's talk stretches deep into the night.

Eyster knew he had limitations with a group of seniors he has coached since they were in the third grade.

"I've been with them for so long," Eyster said. "I love these guys. I've seen them grow up. I knew they were going to be special in third grade, fourth grade ....

"But they're just really nice kids."

A year after winning the program's first league and district championships, running all the way to the state final four, Northeastern fell one win short of returning to the state semifinals for a second straight season.

After rallying from a 16-point, fourth-quarter deficit in the second round to knock off District 1 champion Penncrest, the Bobcats once again needed an epic comeback to keep their season alive.

But Northeastern had no answer for Abington's 6-foot-6 guard Jackson Danzig. He knocked down five 3-pointers in the first quarter.

"I've never seen a shooting performance like that," Northeastern senior Fred Mulbah said. "It was crazy, even just playing defense against him, every shot you think is going to miss but it goes in."

Rizzuto added: "From a shooter's standpoint, when you make your first two shots like that, you just have all the confidence. And he could shoot over us."

Danzig scored a game-high 38 points.

"You get to this point in the state playoffs in Pennsylvania, and you're going to run into some really good players," Eyster said. "Jackson was unbelievable, really.

"I'm wondering what he missed, seriously."

Danzig shot 10-of-16 from the floor, knocking down eight 3-pointers.

All of this came in a venue notorious for giving shooters issues with its unique sight lines with bleachers built behind the glass backboards. Northeastern missed its first six shots in a building where its never played, and the Bobcats never led.

Northeastern fell behind 17-3 early in the second quarter.

"For us, with our size, we have to make shots early in the game so we don't get down like that," Eyster said. "If we go up, it's a different game, because they have to chase us."

Although Northeastern cut the deficit to single digits on several occasions, including closing within five early in the third, Northeastern ran into a taller and complete team. Abington Heights had a big rebounder, and it had guards that could run the floor and knock down spot-up jumpers.

"They're hard to press because their bigs can look over (the press), and their bigs are like guards," Eyster said.

Like Northeastern, Abington Heights was attempting to return to the state final four. Abington Heights won 25 games last season before losing to eventual champion Archbishop Wood, 68-57, in a semifinal. It was the only team in last year's bracket to keep the margin of victory against Wood to under 24 points.

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Northeastern's Nate Wilson drives to the basket during the Bobcats' 63-60 comeback victory over Penncrest in the second round of PIAA 5A action at Garden Spot High School on Tuesday, March 13, 2018. Jason Plotkin, York Daily Record

Northeastern's Fred Mulbah in action during the Bobcats' 63-60 comeback victory over Penncrest in the second round of PIAA 5A action at Garden Spot High School on Tuesday, March 13, 2018. Jason Plotkin, York Daily Record

The Northeastern basketball team dances before start of the game which saw the Bobcats' 63-60 comeback victory over Penncrest in the second round of PIAA 5A action at Garden Spot High School on Tuesday, March 13, 2018. Jason Plotkin, York Daily Record

Northeastern's Andrew Brodbeck, left, and DJ Hamilton put on the defensive pressure during the Bobcats' 63-60 comeback victory over Penncrest in the second round of PIAA 5A action at Garden Spot High School on Tuesday, March 13, 2018. Jason Plotkin, York Daily Record

Northeastern's Nate Eyster in action during the Bobcats' 63-60 comeback victory over Penncrest in the second round of PIAA 5A action at Garden Spot High School on Tuesday, March 13, 2018. Jason Plotkin, York Daily Record

Northeastern's Andrew Brodbeck celebrates during the Bobcats' 63-60 comeback victory over Penncrest in the second round of PIAA 5A action at Garden Spot High School on Tuesday, March 13, 2018. Jason Plotkin, York Daily Record

Northeastern's Quay Mulbah fights for the ball during the Bobcats' 63-60 comeback victory over Penncrest in the second round of PIAA 5A action at Garden Spot High School on Tuesday, March 13, 2018. Jason Plotkin, York Daily Record

Northeastern's Antonio Rizzuto in action during the Bobcats' 63-60 comeback victory over Penncrest in the second round of PIAA 5A action at Garden Spot High School on Tuesday, March 13, 2018. Jason Plotkin, York Daily Record

Northeastern's Antonio Rizzuto in action during the Bobcats' 63-60 comeback victory over Penncrest in the second round of PIAA 5A action at Garden Spot High School on Tuesday, March 13, 2018. Jason Plotkin, York Daily Record

Northeastern's Fred Mulbah in action during the Bobcats' 63-60 comeback victory over Penncrest in the second round of PIAA 5A action at Garden Spot High School on Tuesday, March 13, 2018. Jason Plotkin, York Daily Record

Northeastern's Fred Mulbah in action during the Bobcats' 63-60 comeback victory over Penncrest in the second round of PIAA 5A action at Garden Spot High School on Tuesday, March 13, 2018. Jason Plotkin, York Daily Record

Northeastern's Fred Mulbah in action during the Bobcats' 63-60 comeback victory over Penncrest in the second round of PIAA 5A action at Garden Spot High School on Tuesday, March 13, 2018. Jason Plotkin, York Daily Record

Northeastern's Nate Wilson drives the lane during the Bobcats' 63-60 comeback victory over Penncrest in the second round of PIAA 5A action at Garden Spot High School on Tuesday, March 13, 2018. Jason Plotkin, York Daily Record

Northeastern's Nate Wilson drives to the basket during the Bobcats' 63-60 comeback victory over Penncrest in the second round of PIAA 5A action at Garden Spot High School on Tuesday, March 13, 2018. Jason Plotkin, York Daily Record

Northeastern's Nate Wilson drives to the basket during the Bobcats' 63-60 comeback victory over Penncrest in the second round of PIAA 5A action at Garden Spot High School on Tuesday, March 13, 2018. Jason Plotkin, York Daily Record

The Northeastern basketball team and the fans celebrate following the Bobcats' 63-60 comeback victory over Penncrest in the second round of PIAA 5A action at Garden Spot High School on Tuesday, March 13, 2018. Jason Plotkin, York Daily Record